PITTSBURGH — José Quintana and the Pirates are in a strange spot right now.
The veteran left-hander is coming off a 2021 season in which he labored to a 6.43 ERA. In a sense, he revitalized his career in Pittsburgh, now with a 3.70 ERA after his 19th start of the season Saturday, a seven-inning shutout effort in a 1-0 win over the Miami Marlins.
It’s strange because of what might come next. If Vegas were taking odds on Pirates most likely to be traded at the deadline, Quintana would probably be the betting favorite. The trade deadline always looms large for veterans on a one-year deal putting up the numbers Quintana has.
